![Adding a tray of canned corn to the pile, junior Michael Collop assists in transporting donations for the Holiday Food Drive. The event, hosted schoolwide from Dec. 10-17, raised over 5,000 food items to deliver to the Parkway Food Pantry, helping several families in need. [The drive] is a great thing for us to do because you're giving to those who are less fortunate, and it helps provide for people who can't provide for themselves. [The] competition is always fun, too. It was fun to be in [social studies teacher Jess] Chazen’s class, because he always gets worked up over [the competition]. He made it exciting, and was always convincing us to turn in cans for the drive,” Collop said.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/feature-photo-unsung-2.png)
![NEW CHALLENGE, NEW TEAM MEMBERS: Every season, VEX creates a new game that robotics team members are faced with and have to build a robot to compete in. This year’s game forces students to create a robot that is able to stack rings onto mobile goals in order to score points. The change in games each season is something that robotics teacher Audrea Moyers appreciates.
“One of the things that I like about VEX is that they have a new problem to solve every year,” she said. ¨Even though the equipment’s the same, they have to analyze the game, and they have to come up with solutions that are unique that year. They are using their knowledge from prior years, but they have to kind of redesign a problem.”
As returning teams were faced a new game, some new teams and members had to adapt to a uncommon playing field and game.
“Three of our four teams were competing for the first time this year, and they had very different experiences match to match, so I think they learned a lot,¨ she said. ¨It’s hard just watching a video online to know how it’s actually going to be in person, so they all learned a lot about what gameplay is like, how to work with an alliance partner [and] how to adapt during the day to changes.”](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_9283-1-1200x800.jpg)
She has one goal in mind: getting the kill.
It’s a play that can leave any opponent shaken.
When done right, it’s a violent action that results in the ball rocketing across the net to either find a vacant spot on the volleyball court or ricochet out of bounds.
Either way, a kill is good. A kill gives the Redhawks another point.
And it’s a skill junior, outside hitter Jaiden Harris is well versed at as she is among the leaders in DFW with 543 kills on the year and averaging 5.1 kills a set. It is a position she cherishes despite its stressful nature.
“The most challenging part about getting as many kills as I do is that the team we are playing will be focused on me, making it harder to score,” Jaiden said. “It takes court awareness, and a high IQ to get a kill. You have to see the block in front of you as well as where the defenders are standing to see where the holes are in the court.”
It paid off in District 11-5A play.
The Redhawks have clinched their third straight district championship with a 12-1 record heading into Tuesday’s finale against Emerson, a team they beat 3-0 earlier in the season.
“We are so lucky to have Jaiden, she is one of the best all-around volleyball players in Texas,” head coach Eighmy Dobbins said. “She excels at all skills on the court, but there is nothing like watching her hit the ball; she is so strong and very exciting to watch. It’s rare to have a player as dynamic and well-rounded as Jaiden, we do not take her for granted.”
Her ability on the court is something developed over the course of years through countless practices. For her dad, Assistant Principal Jason Harris, it’s all about her work ethic.
“Before she was a freshman in high school, she was spending quite a bit of time in the gym working out and going to volleyball clinics to get better,” Jason said. “She wanted to be the best that she could be and she always devoted that time. I’m very proud of the hard work she’s put in to become the player that she is today.”
It’s the type of player that allows Dobbins a variety of options.
“She is super aggressive and has a lot of power behind her swing, but she also has such a wide range of shots that give her the ability to mix it up and catch the other team off guard,” Dobbins said. “We know we can count on Jaiden offensively, so in tight games our team looks to Jaiden to create points for us. Jaiden is our main offensive weapon, and because of that she gets our opponent’s biggest blockers and best defenders lined up with her when she is swinging.”
Whether or not she gets the kill in these situations, for her dad, it’s not about the statistics.
“The biggest growth I’ve seen in her is really embracing and encouraging and helping her teammates to become the best they can because she knows that it’s not just about her,” Jason said. “It’s about the team. For them to really reach their full success, the team has to be playing at their best, all of the players. If each player is playing at their best, they’re going to have a better chance at winning games.”
This story was originally published on Wingspan on October 28, 2024.